Innocent Victims Most Likely Killed in Boca Drunk Driving Accidents

You might think that you’re safe from a drunk driving accident because you don’t drink and drive. But you’d be wrong. Did you know that more than a third of the people who are killed in alcohol-related car accidents are in fact not the drunk drivers?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were close to 10,000 people who were killed in drunk driving car accidents in the U.S. in 2011. These kinds of accidents account for close to a third of all fatal car accidents in the country year after year.

Our drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that attitudes toward drunk driving have changed in the last 40 years, but there is still much room for improvement. But it’s still innocent motorists and travelers who are mostly injured and killed in these accidents. Listen to this: About a third of the people killed in drunk driving car accidents are the drunk driver’s passenger, occupants of other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. And to make it all worse, drunk drivers cost our economy almost $60 billion each and every year.

According to Florida DMV records there were more than 33,600 DUI convictions in the state of Florida in 2011. Of the more than 55,000 DUI tickets that were issued in the state of Florida in 2011, more than 9,000 of them were issued by the Florida Highway patrol (FHP). Close to 24,000 of them were issued by police departments and close to 22,000 more were issued by Florida Sheriff’s departments.

In Florida, there were more than 700 people killed in drunk driving car accidents in 2011. These accidents cost the state more than $3.5 billion. And it’s true that all of these traffic accidents and fatalities were preventable. There is never a good time to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle accident after consuming alcohol.

If you’re lucky enough to escape a drunk driving accident, there are still serious consequences you’re going to have to face if busted by an officer. For a first-time offense, convicted drunk drivers will be required to pay a fine of up to $500, serve 50 hours of community service, spend no more than a year on probation, face up to 6 months behind bars, have their driver’s license revoked for a minimum of 180 days and be required to attend DUI school.

The second a driver under the influence gets behind that wheel, someone’s life is in immediate danger. By reporting a drunk driver, or possible drunk driver, you could potentially save a life. If you believe that you’ve spotted a drunk driver behind the wheel, make the call and save a life. Call law enforcement officials and report them. Provide officers with information regarding their location, headed direction, car description and license plate number if possible. Your call could help to stop a drunk driver from causing a potentially fatal accident and taking any more innocent lives.

If you or someone you love has been involved in a traffic accident, contact the Hollander Law Firm at 888-751-7770 for a free and confidential consultation. There is no fee unless we win.